Why People Love to Hate LeBron James

Do you remember when you were little and some kids would always say mean, hurtful things just to see you squirm? And when you got home to your mom and told her about it she said to just ignore those kids because they're jealous? Well, that kid is LeBron James and he's all grown up now and not taking any more abuse.

Ever since he entered the league in 2003 (I can't believe it's been that long), Bron Bron has always had a target on his back. Not just because of his talent, which is truly marvellous, but also because of his personality and how he handles his business. There's been high expectations for a long time and each time he falls short there's a big applause from the better part of America. He's been called an All-Star, a ball hog, an MVP, a cry baby, LaPrince James and many more, but the one thing he hasn't been called is an NBA champion. He's gone as far as the Finals but each time he fails the public is ready to scrutinize; "He's not ready yet", "he doesn't deserve to win" and "one player can't win a title" have always been thrown into the mix. And while the majority of the population would rather see him lose, after 9 years in the league can you really hate the guy for finally being a game away from greatness?

James has always shown he has a good sense of humour. From his retro days on Sprite commercials to his camera-less team photo ops before each game, it's even more easy to dislike a talented athlete who can laugh at himself and then torch the opposition. But things weren't so funny when he decided to leave Cleveland (his hometown and the team that drafted him) for the bright lights of Miami. From torched jerseys to manipulated billboards, James recruited a whole slew of haters when he decided to be part of the Big 3 playing for the Heat. Why not though? He sure made it easy for everyone to have an opinion by tormenting viewers with a one-hour special actually titled "The Decision". Gross. Even I was completely turned off by the unnecessary media circus that found its way on ABC. But boy did his decision to play alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh get tongues wagging.

It was obvious, nobody wanted the Heat to win other than the people of Miami. With a combo like that, how could you not win an NBA title? Well, that's the best part, it didn't just happen and it's been two years in the making leading up til tonight. That's way longer than the statistics would have projected in 2010, and a relief for people who thought it would happen right away. So there you have it, a veteran of the game who grew up before our eyes and never played on our team. I think that's why they hate him, because everyone's jealous he's not on their team and if he was they would love him! If LeBron can finally put his lips on the Larry O'Brien trophy this week, I'll be happy for him because it's been a long road travelled and a job well done.